To discern the soul
by Hunter of the Wild
Summary: His grandmother, his only remaining relative, had kept him ensconced in the old shrine until he willingly put the pendant on and learned the words that she taught him. The same words he was now repeating again and again. "Ut tu etiam protege me." He probably should have known what it meant. - In which Kuroko Tetsuya gets involved in the business of the supernatural. A god is dead.
1. Chapter 1

"_I felt that I breathed an atmosphere of sorrow."  
― Edgar Allan Poe _

A hand clutched tightly at the shining steel pendant hung around his neck, whispered words floating into the falling darkness. It seemed like a chant, so feverishly were the words spoken. It was probably Latin, he thought dimly, but it was familiar and comfortable as it fell from his lips – wild, unbridled and full of reverence. Of what, he wasn't sure, never had been. Deep blue eyes fluttered about, panic just staying at bay through pure will. He was almost at home, he recognized as his foot steps fell faster and faster, trying to outpace whatever was following him.

He truly wasn't too sure of what was truly happening. As dusk had settled, the street lights had slowly blinked into life and lit the path with that muddy yellow color that you could find on photos as an added filter. The islands of light led right up to his home, a rope of of yellow dots heading straight up the mountain. The silence surrounding him had been unnoticeable at first with how far away he was from the rest of the city – it was natural for it to be so quiet. But when shadows had started flickering in the corners of his eyes and the hair on his arms started to raise, the absolute silence seemed to come crashing down on him. A _deafening _silence, no animals, no people, nothing that moved or was alive.

He could _feel _something watching him. Something neither _alive _nor_ dead. _Something _hungry._

And he was smart enough not to hang around.

He had grasped his pendant subconsciously again, seeking comfort in the old worn thing. His grandmother had given it to him barely hours after his parents had died. They had been hiking, so he was told, when a landslide had ended the trip prematurely. His grandmother, his only remaining relative, had kept him ensconced in the old shrine until he willingly put the pendant on and learned the words that she taught him.

The same words he was now repeating again and again.

"Ut tu etiam protege me."

He probably should have learnt what it meant.

–

Kuroko Tetsuya burst through his front door as if the dogs of hell were upon his heels, ready to devour the falling soul. And for all he knew, it could have been exactly that. Slamming it closed behind him, he slid down unto the floor, very aware of his shaking knees.

"Tetsuya! What is wrong with you! Did you break the front door?"

The stern voice stemmed from an old woman sitting with her back towards the doorway, calmly turning around and standing when she saw the condition of her grandson. "My! What happened?" She rushed towards him and lent forward to touch his forehead. Her concern was genuine and heart felt, Tetsuya knew that, but the feeling of dread still wasn't leaving him. It clogged his throat and made it hard to speak – it felt like hands were closing in on his windpipe and he touched it to make sure that there really wasn't anything.

"I was followed home."

His voice was small and raspy, echoing what he was feeling. He shakily stood up, his grandmother making some space and supporting him. He didn't dare to walk away from the door, not trusting his legs and not trusting whatever was outside.

"Well, who was it? Another prank by some of those kids?", she questioned as she held her grandson up. It was quite easy for her, both a result of her health and the slight weight of the man before her. But the expression on his face concerned her. Tetsuya did not often show what he was feeling and never had shown this particular expression before.

He was _terrified_.

"Not someone, Grandma. Some_thing_."

And that sentence alone sent a chill down her spine. "What _exactly _do you mean? This is important, grandson, our lives could very well be at stake." She knew what might be out there, but didn't want to confuse Tetsuya any further. He, however, seemed even more confused and vaguely understanding at her urgency. "It didn't seem alive. But it seemed... hungry." She shook his elbow. "Was it only one? Where did it come from? _Details, Tetsuya!"_An idea was forming in her mind of what it may be and the end result was not good.

"I saw shadows moving. And I don't know where it came from! It suddenly appeared!", Tetsuya cried out, his grandmother's grip becoming painful. It tightened for a moment, before she moved to pull him up. "Tetsuya, we need to -"

The door rattled right behind Tetsuya.

Grandson and grandmother looked at each other with big eyes as both hesitated for a moment. But the rattling started anew, a more violently. "_Oh god, oh god, oh god._" Tetsuya wasn't able to keep the words from sprouting out as he scrambled away from the door. His grandmother frantically quieted him and gripped his shoulders again. "Tetsuya, you need to listen to me. I know you don't know what is going on and I know you're really scared now, but I will explain things later.", she said insistently and stared at him through wise blue eyes. He scarcely had nodded before a violent scratching started at the door, rattling it in its frame.

"I need you to go to the shrine and close the door behind you when you enter. Promise me that you will not come out, not even when it is me asking you to open the door, OK?" Her voice was low and urgent, her grip surprisingly strong for an elderly woman. Tetsuya opened his mouth to protest and was shook by his grandmother for his efforts. "_Promise me!"_

The blue haired twenty one year old seemed more like a little boy as he nodded, backing away from the door even more. Relief slid over the elderly woman's face as she stepped forward to kiss his forehead. "Remember the words and you will be protected. Go now.", she said and lightly touched the pendant hanging around his neck. Her voice was still low, but seemed more calm. She smiled softly at him before turning around and reaching into her trouser pockets. Tetsuya backed away and turned before he could see what his grandmother thought might help her.

And he still didn't know what was trying to get through the front door of their home. Or who would protect him.

–

Thankfully the main house was connected to the shrine through a narrow walk way that was open on both sides. Tetsuya stopped before the doorway and hesitated. Whatever had scared his grandmother this much was still out there, the only audible evidence being the increasing groaning of wood by the front door. Tugging at his blue locks, he gripped the pendant again and ignored the pain that shot through his hand as the edges cut into soft skin. He closed his eyes and exhaled before once again repeating that one sentence over and over.

"Ut tu etiam protege me."

The metal grew hotter with every repeated whisper and every step he took through the open walk way and dark night. He briefly considered stopping when nothing happened halfway, but the air seemed to pulse as he slowed his chant and the feeling of dread intensified. Any ideas he had of stopping were banished as he finally made it to the sliding doors of the shrine. As he stepped inside, the atmosphere enveloped him like a shroud that he could literally feel pressing down on his shoulders. He wondered if that meant that the shrine spirit or god was here now. Tetsuya's fingers ghosted across the frame of the sliding doors, the silky paper too delicate. With a deft pull, he slid the door shut and was left in total darkness.

The sudden darkness startled him and he let the chant stop. Suddenly the noises outside increased in volume and he could hear the wood finally give up and shatter. He could hear his grandma shout something and sounds of a fight increased.

Fear settled deep in Tetsuya's gut as pressed himself against the frame of the door.

He had never been in here, it finally dawned upon him. As a child, his grandmother constantly had to keep him from entering. _I was a curious child. _He remembered seeing her enter with offerings and wanting to know why and for whom. But she had stopped doing so the day his parents died in that accident. Now she only entered to clean. He had respected her wished and had not tried to step into shrine.

Lifting a hand to feel his way, he touched something cold and smooth. Softly, he traced the stone, following the curve of it and made out the form of a bird's head. It was delicate and majestic, Tetsuya decided even though he couldn't make out much in the deep darkness. But it comforted him and he settled down under it, neatly fitting under the head and neck. The darkness didn't seem so oppressive anymore.

But the noises outside were increasing in violence – he heard screams that were unearthly, more inhuman that human, keening out pain. He heard his grandmother shouting. He heard the sounds of things shattering and tearing and falling apart. Tetsuya huddled under the statue and shivered. A part of him wanted to stand and go to his grandmother but another, larger part controlled that what would have made him move and it froze him in place. He covered his eyes with his arm and tried to block out the world.

Suddenly, everything was deathly quiet again.

It seemed like the entire world had shifted for a moment, like a tear in the film.

He heard the soft patter of feet against wood. A figure appeared before the sliding door, outline visible through the rice paper.

"**Tetsuya? I've finished with that thing, could you open the door for me please?"**

The voice was familiar and Tetsuya sighed with relief. It could only mean that everything was fine now and his grandmother could now finally explain what was going on. As he struggled to his feet, eager to see his grandmother, a hand roughly pushed him back down again. Tetsuya floundered, falling back down again, aghast at the fact that someone was here with him. "You mustn't." The voice was a smooth tenor and rough, like it hadn't been used for a long time. "That is not Yuki-hime." The title added on to his grandmother's name silenced his oncoming protest. Who was this man? Tetsuya still could not see anything definite, although the increasing moonlight should have made things easier.

"Tetsuya? Dear, let me in!"

The same sternness as earlier was there and Tetsuya stood up again. "That is definitely my grandmother! I will open for her!" But as soon as the sentence left his lips, he remembered what she had said earlier and pang of hopelessness rang through him. "She told me not to open the door even if she asked me to.", he whispered with a downward look. "That is true.", the other man answered again. The figure outside shifted again, as if impatient. "Tetsuya!"

A soft sob passed through the hand Tetsuya held to his mouth. He was a smart man and realized what the appearance of a fake meant. He sank to his knees again, aware of the man now standing behind him.

"Tetsuyaa**aaaaaaaaa!**"

The familiar voice turned into a ghastly noise, like multiple voices layered over each other. The figure outside started to shrink in on itself before expanding again, bones and limbs jutting out at random. The implications of that struck Tetsuya and he sobbed even harder, trying not to be sick. The thing outside repulsed him. It shrieked and shuddered, trying to enter the shrine, hammering against the door.

One thought ran through Tetsuya's mind at that time.

_I am going to die._

It was a simple thought really, but the enormity of it didn't really settle in. A hand landed on his head as the other male began to softly card his hair. "It will be alright. You will not die." The soft words were heard but not taken in.

The last thing that Kuroko Tetsuya remembered of that night was falling asleep to a stranger stroking his hair and monster knocking at the door.


	2. Chapter 2

A beautiful morning was what greeted Kuroko when he opened his eyes.

Gently, he shifted from his position leaning against a solid mass of stone, he thought. He lifted his hands slowly, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and ready for a new day to start. Thoughts of a warm breakfast of pancakes and orange juice ran through his head, a small smile of contentment already spreading on his lips. He felt incredibly refreshed, like he had slept for hours on end!

Clear blue eyes landed on a closed screen door, blinking in confusion at what was certainly not his door. Craning his eyes up to see what loomed over him, he took in a large jade statue of what seemed to be a large bird. _Well, not stone then._ But his heart and mind soon caught up with what his eyes were seeing. Kuroko scrambled up from his position on the floor, the thudding in his chest so loud to his ears, that he thought the whole neighbor might hear it. Shooting a frantic look around him, he realized that no one seemed to be inside with him. Frowning even more, he swore that someone, another man if he remembered correctly, had been here with him. He continued towards the screen, hesitation creeping through his veins like ice cold fire. What if it was still out there?

What if he saw something he really didn't want to see?

_You can do it. You must._

The thought suddenly jumped into Kuroko's head, jarring his step. He bit his lip in surprise and grunted in pain as his toe hit the floor, further darkening his mood. His hand trembled as he lifted it to yank the screen to the side. Fully expecting something on the other side, the man was relieved to not see any hint of the monster that had attacked yesterday night. Shaking his head, Kuroko laughed at himself. _It must have just been a dream. I must have sleep walked here._ A hand drifted to the steel object hanging around his neck. _It had to be_.

Walking towards the main house now seemed much more calming that what it had been in his dreams and he smiled at his own foolishness. A nightmare really shouldn't scare him at his age of 22. Fully prepared to start making breakfast, Kuroko rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, enjoying the calm of the early morning. What foolishness it was, dreaming of his grandmother dying!

A final step into the main house was all that it took to shatter that simple idea of it being a dream.

Chunks of wood were strewn about the room, not a single item was left whole. The room seemed so big to him as the feeling of dread crept back up his spine, familiar hands stroking his spine tenderly as though to say '_Welcome back'_. Sprinting through the broken living room and kitchen, he reached the front portal. Or what would have been the front portal.

Because there was a massive gaping hole instead of what should has been a regular, nice wooden door.

"No, no, no!"

The first sentence that escaped his tightly clenched lips was whispered angrily. He jogged out the hole and knew without having to look that he wouldn't find a body. His hand gripped at his pendant as he closed his eyes again. How he wished that this was really just a nightmare. Guilt tore at his heart, pieces of it already cracking off. _How could I ever leave grandmother just like that? What would mom and dad think of me now?_

He silently stepped back into the ruined house. _Doesn't this usually happen in movies?_ He asked himself this dryly, the sarcasm helping to mute his feelings of helplessness. _Isn't there usually some kind of letter for the survivor to find? To start his own adventure?_ The thought made a hysterical giggle bubble up in his throat. _Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god._ The reality of his situation sank in as Kuroko collapsed to the floor, images of the previous night flashing before his eyes. He remembered running from something in the pitch black darkness. He remembered his grandmother comforting him.

He remembered leaving her behind.

Tetsuya shuddered as a sob left him. He'd seen what had happened to her, the mutilated figure behind the screen had been obvious evidence.

–

Kagami would have had a fine enough morning, really.

It could all have gone spectacularly well if his lecturer hadn't assigned him to go and deliver the day's work to Kuroko. He could have continued on his merry way to his apartment and slept the rest of the day away. But he had to walk all the way up the mountain to the bluenette's home, trudging unhappily up the steps and through the abundant greenery. It was beautiful and on another day Kagami would have appreciated the plant life around him, really. Although the other was his best friend, Kagami had been ready to Kuroko a new one.

That had been until the red head say the gaping hole in what could only be described as half a house.

"What the fuck?!"

He ran towards the building, crossing the 50 meters easily, and rushed into the house, already shouting. "Kuroko?! Auntie Yuki?!" He looked around desperately, fearing for his friend and his grandmother's safety. There didn't seem to be any fire damage, so nothing could have exploded. It looked more like claws had raked through the wood walls. Although they looked very unsafe, Kagami would have continued up the stairs, had he not spotted the small figure at the opposite wall. "_Kuroko!_" Shouting in worry, Kagami jumped over the bits and pieces of what he though might have been the living room set up and reached his smaller friend. A single look at his friend's tear streaked face had his worry sky rocketing and grasping his friend's shoulders.

"Kuroko... what happened? Are you ok? Where is auntie Yuki?"

Kuroko opened his mouth to respond, but choked at the mention of his grandmother. Straining to keep a handle on his emotions, Kuroko lent forward unto Kagami's shoulder, grateful to hide his face. The red head however couldn't keep his surprise from his face. How bad would the situation have to be to make his friend act so out of character. Taking a chance, Kagami moved his hand to softly rub his friend's shoulder, but otherwise kept perfectly still. Kuroko froze and sniffed, strangling the sob that would have left his mouth.

"_It was my fault Kagami."_

A jolt rang through the red head, his thoughts running a mile a minute. Did his friend get tangled with the mafia? Did he decide to build a bomb? Any scenario that lept to the forefront of his mind seemed ridiculous though. The other boy was too gentle and soft spoken to ever hurt anyone. Continuing his soothing action, Kagami softly spoke again. "Where is Yuki, Kuroko?"

"She's dead."

At the abrupt words, Kagami felt all his actions stop. Lead seemed to seep into every limb, the weight of statement coming down on him and paralyzing him. "What?" He asked softly, not even aware of the dark look on his face. "What the fuck happened Kuroko?!" He was angry now, Kuroko realized, resigned to the idea of Kagami hating him.

"Something attacked us. Grandmother told me to go and hide in the shrine. And now she's dead!" Kuroko whispered brokenly. Kagami's brows shot up. He definitely didn't believe in the supernatural, but he knew Kuroko's family had been involved in the upkeep of the shrine on their estate for centuries and deeply believed in it, but he did believe the rest of what his friend said. Deciding for the moment to keep his mouth shut on the origin of the attacker, Kagami instead turned to the problem at hand. "It was not your fault, you fucking idiot! You did what she wanted you to do and she saved your life. Yes, you would have handled it differently if you could, but it's in the past.

You should instead be grateful that you're alive."

Kuroko dimly nodded at the words. _I know I should feel that way. But... I can't help but think I took the coward's way out._ Removing his head from Kagami's shoulder, he instead chose to remain quiet, instead of worrying his friend with his negative thoughts. "What now, Kagami?"

As they disentangled themselves from each other, Kagami blushed faintly now that it was over. After all, they hadn't even hugged before. "Did Auntie Yuki leave you a message or something?" He asked Kuroko with a helpless shrug. Kuroko stared at him and spoke softly, "I really don't think that we're in a movie." Blinking, he added, "But there isn't. I checked." He and Kagami exchanged a look and both laughed softly. "First of all, I think we should leave here. Whatever attacked you might come back after all." Kagami offered with a hesitant nod. Kuroko tilted his head ever so slightly and agreed. "I didn't think you'd be able to come up with an idea like that, to be honest." A twitched developed under Kagami's eye and he delivered a sharp look at the smaller male. "Very funny." Thinking he had sufficiently turned Kuroko's attention away from his survivor's guilt, he got up and motioned to Kuroko to do the same. "I don't think much of your stuff survived the attack, to be honest. You can borrow my stuff. I'm pretty sure I have some of my older clothes lying around." Kagami said without any inflection in his voice. "Let's go."

Kuroko nodded, weariness settling in his bones like a second skeleton. He trudged after Kagami, thinking back to the shrine. Should he go back? After all, there had been that man... The bluenette shook his head, firmly putting the figure out of his mind. It had only been a dream.

The young man settled down unto a rock closest to the entrance to the ominously dark cave. He would dare to take a few steps in, but not more. He had been taught that, at least. Raising his fingers to his lips, he whistled; it was a sharp tone, high but also layered, deep undertones warbling the sound. Silence followed the initial action, but the man's patience was rewarded when a few moments later foot steps echoed through the cave, indicating the presence of life. As the other person came into view, the young man allowed himself a small smile; an old friend deserved that at least. Standing, he watched the other walk the last few meters and halt in front of him. They watched each other, looking for chinks in invisible armors, until the others plump lips spread into a wide grin. "Akashicchi!" The excited blonde threw his arms open for a hug and was halted in his foot steps by a single word. "**Stop.**" He felt his muscles tense and freeze in position, a dark look running over his face at the reminder of the control the other held over him. "Akashicchi, how could you?" He whined and despite not being able to move, he used his vocal cords to maximum affect. "Ryouta." The red head acknowledged. Tilting his head, the barest twitching of his lips lifted the paralysis of the blonde, who crashed into the ground. "I've come to send you on a mission." Akashi said, turning to lead the other out of the dark cave. He liked the darkness, that wasn't the problem, but Kise's cave was off limits even to him.

Kise followed the shorter male outside, wincing at the bright light outside. He glanced at his companion's clothes and down to his own appearance. Akashi had come in his street clothes this time; black boots, black pants, black shirt, black everything. Kise rolled his eyes lightly, but cautiously kept an eye out if the other had spotted it. He himself was in his usual outfit, stately golden robes, fitting for a king, but entirely not of use when he needed to be visible to the human eye. Knowing better than to ask, the blonde followed Akashi even further through the broad daylight. He really needed to mention that he was active at night again – not in the middle of the fucking day! Biting down on the grumble that threatened to spill out and make his life so much harder than it should be, Kise found once again that he didn't know what his master was thinking.

He bristled as his mind used the word master. He was no young spirit, no lesser phenomenon – he was treated with respect and loved by the people.

But here he was. With a master.

Molten gold eyes fell upon Akashi's back as they continued along the path that led away from his shrine. Only one of many, he preened silently, but his none the less. What would Akashicchi have him do this time? He was tired, he realized. He didn't know why Akashi had him do tasks that he would usually declare worthless, like gathering the silk of a thousand glow worms.

"Here we are, Ryouta." Akashi stood before a very secure looking black SUV, when a guard stepped out to open the door for the young man. "There is a change of clothes in the back. Your clothes will be kept secure and safe, of course." Like every time, Kise wanted to add. The blonde nodded and waited for the red head to get into the car. Respect had been instilled into him after a matter of years.

As Kise followed him into the car, Akashi settled down and gazed out the window. He could see the entirety of the town before him. It was very rural and Akashi wasn't even sure what it was called really.

"So, Kise, this is your next mission. You're to play a guide."

If he was amused at the splutter that Kise gave, he didn't show it. "There is a certain young man that I need you to bring to the ruins. He is currently on the move after an attack on his home. He will probably be able to see you in your spirit forms, but take on a human form until you have his trust. It is vital that he remain unknowing of what may lurk in the ruins, Ryouta. He must remain innocent. Both in body and in spirit." Akashi felt awkward saying those words, but he didn't dare seem a fraction not in control of himself. He knew Kise was not as loyal as he would like and as such may take any opportunity to breach his contract. Kise himself smiled at the words, amused at it's meaning. Did Akashi expect him to jump the boy? He was known for his promiscuity, true, but he did have standards. Coughing lightly, the blonde nodded. He might not be happy being a babysitter for some kid and he knew not to ask Akashi exactly why he was doing this, but Kise would follow his orders. As Kise changed right beside him, the tips of Akashi's ears turned a pretty shade of pink. He might be powerful, but he was still only 22 years old and not unknowing of how attractive the blonde was. Akashi tried to focus on the passing countryside instead of the flashes of deliciously tan skin. His skin felt clammy even to himself and the red head frowned at the obvious bodily response until he realized what exactly his thoughts had been revolving around – victory.

The black car stopped gracefully at the bottom of the hill upon which Akashi knew the Kuroko Clan House to be. He had explained a little more of the importance of Kise's guidance to the young Kuroko during the ride and could now feel the slow passing of time speed up with every step Kise took away from the car and towards what he knew was his own victory. Only when the blonde was out of his sight, did Akashi allow his predatory smile unto his lips. It was cold and full of blood lust.

–

As Kise continued up the hill, he entertained himself by floating barely a few centimeters off the ground. He would usually be incredibly enthusiastic after an order had been delivered, but having been woken up at a time when the sun shone brightly had incredibly dampened his energy. Looking around him, he had to admit that the kid's family estate was very beautiful. Green leaves shaded him from the burning sun and cast dappled shadows unto the stones that made up the path. Just as he was contemplating finishing the rest of the journey by treetop, voices from above gave him pause. Two people? Kise frowned lightly. Akashi had said that there would only be one person; a young man whose grandma had just died and would thus be vulnerable to manipulation. Clicking his tongue in dissatisfaction, he weighed his options. Become visible or stay in his current form? Shrugging, Kise jumped lightly and settled down unto a particularly thick branch. He might be active in the night, but he could enjoy a sun soaking too.

He watched as _two _young men wandered down the path, neither looking up.

Good for him then.

He smirked down at the mortals, enjoying his view of what he considered dumb beings. He might have accepted Akashi but humans generally filled him with disgust. They had their good points, but what other living being was so ignorant of the world around them? Pollution, wars, murder. And they were also the only beings who couldn't access or even see the layers of the world around them. He shook his head lightly, intent on scaring the day lights out of the two kids. He felt his intent flare momentarily and while it may have alerted another spiritual being, two humans would not have known that anything was amiss. That was until both sets of eyes snapped up to his location in the tree.

"Well, would you look at that..."

Kise murmured under his breath, caught a little flatfooted. As shrugged and jumped down unto the path, only one set of eyes followed him. Kagami continued to stare suspiciously into the tree, moving in front of his friend. Kuroko paid no attention to his rather over eager protector and stared at the unmoving figure in their way. Kise's eyes flashed golden in the over head sun and startled Kuroko as he looked into eyes that showed no difference between iris, pupils and sclera – it was all gold.

"_What are you?" _Kuroko breathed as he stared at the astonishingly beautiful man.

"I", Kise smiled broadly, "am a god."


	3. Chapter 3

_"It's easy to destroy and attack an act of creation. It's a lot more difficult to perform one." - Chuck Palahniuk_

Kuroko was not sure what to make of that single statement. A god? His mind stuttered to a halt. His instinctive reaction would have been to bow, the traditions having been instilled into him by his grandmother. But a completely other thought drifted through his conscience, depicting images of distrust and bitterness. He did not believe the other to be lying of _what _he was, the glimmering golden eyes were proof enough. They seemed without movement, seemingly peering into nothingness. The creature's figure remained equally as still, carefully standing at a distant, but clearly appearing as a predator. As he slowly strolled towards Kuroko and Kagami in measured, powerful strides, a confident smile appeared on his almost too beautiful face. The silence stretched, Kuroko's gaze caught in the mesmerizing depths of gold.

"Who and _what _are you talking to, Kuroko?"

Kagami's urgent voice cut through the tense atmosphere, as the red head's eyes flitted around, desperately searching for the thing that had affected Kuroko so. He could feel the hair on his neck stand on end as the pressure intensified. Gritting his teeth, he pushed against it and felt his knees slowly start to buckle. Even as his knees hit the ground, he could only helplessly shout as the rest of his body followed, lying flat on the floor. Gazing upwards, Kagami watched as the air shimmered as if a mirage had appeared in the middle of the forest, the breeze chiming through the leaves and the soft sound of laughter echoing around them.

Kise was having too much fun as he walked towards the struggling men; the one laid unmoving, pressed flat to the ground, and the other stared at him with a tightness around his eyes. While he could, and most probably should, reel in his aura, it was much more exciting to see how these mortals would react to his power. Perhaps he should have more often interacted with humans, if they were all as interesting as this! Kise felt a short stab of guilt as he thought of Akashi's orders – gain their trust. '_But don't you gain trust by becoming friends? And you become friends by impressing them? That's what Aominecchi says!' _He serenely gazed at the still standing man and dismissed him quickly, the flash of interest very clear on his face. It was common knowledge that the more spiritually aware a human was, the more they were affected by any supernatural presence and it seemed that the red haired human was _very _powerful. Taking pity on the struggling man and wholly forgetting the unreadable man next to him, Kise slowly slid into a human form of himself; his eyes gained the iris and pupil, his skin lost it's translucence, as if a light inside of him had been dimmed. To Kuroko's eyes, everything seemed _duller _and he almost felt a stab of sorrow.

Kagami suddenly felt the pressure lift and black boot-clad feet appear in front of him. As he scrambled up, a hand appeared before him. "May I help you up?" The voice was musical and cheery and reminded him of lazy Sunday mornings. Nodding, Kagami took it and got up, looking beside him to see a wide eyed Kuroko.

Kuroko stepped closer to Kagami as the god spoke, his voice recalling deep, dark nights in his mind. He didn't know what chilled him so as he looked upon a seemingly normal man. "Kagami." He spoke softly, a soft tremble audible in his voice. The red head nodded and stepped back.

"Once again, who are you?"

Kise smiled smugly at his question, intent on impressing them thoroughly. "I am He-who-sings-and-dances-through-eternal-darkness-and-light, the god of music and revelry. But you may call me Kise." He clapped his hands together, fully expecting recognition to appear on the powerful human's face. One could only be this powerful if one had some sort of connection to the supernatural. '_He must be the one Akashicchi was talking about. He lives in a shrine, he must know of me.' _But Kagami's face remained blank, even as Kuroko gasped softly while bringing a hand up to his mouth.

"Yo, Kuroko, do you know him?"

Kise swirled around, abruptly reminded of the presence of the second mortal. "Wait, why would he know? And why don't _you _know?"

Finally giving into tradition, Kuroko bowed deeply. "Kise-sama." He stated, even as his mouth curled into a frown. If Kise was on their estate and so close to their shrine, why had he not come to help? Was it because it wasn't one of _his _shrines? Was he truly so selfish?

Kagami spluttered as Kuroko bowed, torn between imitating him and laughing at both the stranger and his friend. A god? Should they take him to an institute? He opened his mouth to respond with sarcasm, but remembered the pressure that had brought him to the ground. Remaining silent, he brushed the remaining dirt off his jeans.

Fully confused, Kise stared at the bowing mortal. "Rise.", he intoned and softly touched the neck that Kuroko offered him. As the man straightened, Kise took that moment to pose the question that now plagued him. "Which of you two lives at the shrine here?"

"That would be me, Kise-sama." Kuroko gazed blandly at the god, his mind still churning.

An uncomfortable silence stretched between the three, the sun still blazing overhead. The serene sounds of rustling leaves and soft bird songs drifted by, the perfect atmosphere for any other activity besides meeting a god for the first time.

Kise scrunched his nose and tilted his head. If this was the one person Akashi wanted, he would need to reorder his plan; the supposed guide-less human was small and seemingly not very powerful spiritually. But as he looked at the emotionless human and his confused companion, he could sense a current of bitterness.

"Kise-sama, I have a question, if I may be so forward."

The blond nodded and waited, unsure of how to respond to this human. He was completely out of his depth – the red head seemed similar to Aomine, so he could have handled that, no problem. But him? This small human was like none he had met before, neither spirits, gods or humans.

"_Where were you when my grandmother was killed?_"

The question was spit out in anger, anger which would fester and rot and create despair in it's place. Kise could feel the potency in the words and he swallowed carefully as he considered his own. Every being worth their salt knew that words were power and could create miraculous things; the glass spun nests of the Heavenly Guard and the fragile creatures that sprouted from the barely visible Heaven's Peak at each kind words spoken, their wings as soft as clouds, came to mind. But words could also destroy; He-who-darkens-and-brings-the-end's soft, but deadly songs that were sung to the dying as they slowly drifted, the thunderous claps of light and energy hurdled between himself and He-who-laughs-and-whirls-through-the-skies that obliterated the edges of the Great Forest.

Kise was deadly serious as he bent his head down to look at Kuroko. His eyes shone dark with determination, mouth set into a barely noticeable snarl. Kise couldn't help it, his own smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. _'So it seems he has a backbone. This makes things easier.' _"I do not live in this area, Kuroko-san. I had no idea of what was happening here." His voice was soft while his eyes were bright, doing his best to insure that the human remained calm. A choked sound escaped from Kuroko, his posture tightening up to painful levels. "How could you not know?! You are a _god_!", Kuroko gasped. A frown crossed over Kise's now human features, features that would no longer bring most under his power. "I can only see what is happening from one of my shrines and unfortunately, this town does not have one devoted to me." The blond paused, unsure if he should continue. "Besides, your family's shrine was under heavy protections until yesterday evening. It had been invisible to us for years and even now, the essence of it is unfamiliar and strange to me. Whose shrine is this?" The simple fact of not knowing which of his fellow pantheon members he would be angering by stealing away their subjects gave Kise a moment of hesitation; how could this presence, one that he could already feel slipping away, be so familiar and yet so unfamiliar? It was uncomfortably strange and Kise silently wondered whether Akashi knew about this.

Confusion slowly leaked into the bitterness and anger he could feel radiating from Kuroko. "What do you mean you don't know whose shrine this is?" Quiet anger still simmered in his voice, cold as a glacier. "This is the home of They-who-live."

The name jolted both Kise and Kagami into restlessness.

A shiver ran down Kise's back. _'Oh.' _There seemed to suddenly be a hole in his awareness of the world. _ 'Oh no.' _Ignoring the suddenly weary eyed Kuroko and the entirely too confused Kagami, Kise swung around and ran up towards the shrine again, tears filling his eyes. He vaguely remembered They-who-live having met her at the last pantheon gathering, who had at that time been a small, gentle woman. He could distantly hear the thudding of footsteps behind him, as he increased his speed some more. Cursing at his own slowness – _his human speed_ – Kise shifted back into his usual form, with barely a sound. Without breaking a sweat, Kise came crashing before the shrine with no time lost at looking at the devastation of the house proper. "Oh no.", he finally verbalized.

–

Kuroko tried his hardest to keep up with Kagami, who sprinted after the so called god. _'What is going on? How could Kise-sama not know of They-who-live?' Suppressing _his desire to dwell on the events of the previous nights, he continued to run after the almost inhumanly fast pair. _'A god and __him__' _a voice whispered. The blue haired man shook his head and gasped heavily as he reached the clearing of the shrine again. A quiet sort of grating wailing could be heard from the entrance. He swallowed hard and reached up to grasp at his pendant. Kagami stood before him, blocking the source of the terrible sound. The taller man was hunched together, shoulders drawn up as to protect himself somehow.

"Kuroko", he whispered, looking over his shoulder, "I can't see what it is, but I can most definitely hear it."

Stepping around Kagami, Kuroko came face to face with a hysterical Kise, who was crying thick, glinting tears of gold that solidified as soon as they dripped from his face. They dropped to the wooden floor with a definitive _thunk _and were the only sound to hear besides the rustling of the trees. Kuroko tried to speak the words stuck in his throat, but the sight of the swirling energy around Kise made it hard to verbalize anything. As if to spare him the trouble, Kagami spoke again.

"What the actual fuck is going on, Kuroko?"

An inappropriately sarcastic remark made it's way to the forefront of Kuroko's mind, but he swallowed it silently. "It seems as if Kise-sama is having a belated response to the destruction of the shrine."

"_How could this have happened? How did I forget?" _Kise wailed loudly, eyes closing in misery. Kuroko watched him in startled confusion. "Kise-sama", he began slowly, "what do you mean, forgot? And what has happened?" Slowing his crying to simple hiccups, Kise caught the last of his tears in his hand. He let them spill to the wooden floor in a series of _clunks. _"I don't know how we missed this, but They-who-live has -" He hiccuped again "- vanished." Kuroko's brows furrowed lightly. "You mean – but wait, we cannot have been the only shrine dedicated to them!"

Kise quieted for a moment and pondered this. It was general knowledge to all godly beings and to spirits with enough power, that there was an existence that was both above and beneath them – an existence that defied their laws. A power that embodied creation – father &amp; mother to all, important in their legends and traditions. _They-who-live_. But then how had he forgotten? Kise shook his head, molten golden eyes shut firmly. How indeed. The sudden, gaping hole in his spiritual awareness made him feel naked – the usual gentle, comforting presence was only an echo of what it used to be.

"There is at any time, only one shrine dedicated to They-who-live. Their existence is more complicated than that of a mere god and somewhat unexplainable to even normal spirits, never mind mere mortals." Kise's voice was somber and sad, Kuroko thought. Something in him, in the deepest recesses of his soul shuddered at that.

"I'm not at liberty to discuss some things, but I can explain to you why I think that your home might have been attacked. First of all, how much do you know of The-who-live's history?" There was a vaguely uncomfortable expression on Kise's face, that was swept away by the appearance of a small understanding smile. As he finally rose from the floor, he swept the dust of his clothes, still fascinated by the small details of the human clothes. A small longing for _'normal, nice' _things ran through him, thoughts of his cave and court intensifying the feeling. Kise glanced at the human pair; Kagami was still standing incredibly still, but watching the area with frightening intensity. Kise shifted uncomfortably; what could have possibly increased his sensitivity in a matter of minutes? From barely recognizing a spiritual presence to hearing their voices? Kuroko however was a wholly different thing – a range of emotions were splayed across his face in a manner which Kise presumed to be unusual. The blue haired man opened his mouth slowly, as if unsure.

"I was taught by my grandmother that They-who-live is the god of creation. That before our world or even any gods _existed_, there a void of nothingness. It was a total void where nothing and everything could and could have existed in past, present and future. There was no measure of time, as even time did not exist." Kuroko took a deep breath, reverence clear in his manner. "But this void was also full of possibilities and in one split second, or maybe even an eternity, They-who-live appeared. An existence so full of possibilities, that the nothingness that was the world was _dull _and _lifeless_ and they decided to create the first inklings of how the world could turn out to be. The earth came first, crisscrossed by the four great rivers and great lakes, bordered by the great mountain ranges. So came the first great gods of the pantheon. As the world developed, the nothingness became less _nothing_ and more _something _until the pantheon realized that life must exist too. As they sat together and the thought sprung up, They-who-live jumped up and declared it a _possibility _and so it was." Kuroko finished with a small, sad smile at the bittersweet memories of his constantly loud grandmother's teachings. Both Kagami and Kise stared at him, both for very different reasons.

"I cannot remember the last time you had to recite that story to someone!" Kagami chuckled, still eyeing the empty space where he supposed Kise was sitting

_'And I cannot help but wonder about the level of authenticity.'_

"That is a surprisingly correct variation of our communal origin story, considering that this is a human retelling. The last They-who-live was incredibly fond of humankind." Kise mused softly, once again thinking of the gentle figure. "But here is where the problem comes in – where are they now? They're not supposed to blink out of existence like that! We had realized that they were quite static the last few years, not moving around as much as they used to, but... I never imagined a situation like this occurring." Kise said, rubbing his cheek softly, ridding himself of the last vestiges of visible sorrow. Akashi wouldn't like him showing weakness. _'What do I do now, Akashicchi ? Would you have me go directly to Heaven's Peak? Or figure what has happened to one of our most important figure heads?' _Clapping his hands to clear the heavy, tense atmosphere, Kise slipped back into his human form, features and reality distorting _just so_. Red eyes snapped to him in an instant, Kagami's face twisting into a grimace. "I am not going to get used to this, am I?', he grumbled tiredly, running a hand over his face.

Kuroko stepped up to Kagami's side and jutted out his chin ever so slightly. "I want to know why and how this happened. How can I do so?" The quiet determination amused and surprised Kise lightly. "I am not certain of what even _happened_ in the first place, but I would suggest visiting the Great Library."

"And where would I find this library?"

"In the spirit world, of course."


	4. Interlude - Kise

"_A thought, even a possibility, can shatter and transform us." - Friedrich Nietzsche_

Kise is a young god.

He did not experience the creation, the moment when time became reality and life started to _move_. He did not see the way in which the elder gods benevolently watched over the first, the original. And some may say, even the best. He did not see the way the earth itself shifted, just to lovingly tremble under the first's feet. The way the waters lapped at the beaches, inching closer to the being they called their parent. The elder gods drifted in like sea wood, grazing the waters with their feet and the heavens with their hands, the giants of old.

As the first looked down on their children, fondness on their face, so tender and bright that it hurt to look at, they reached and pulled the elder gods into existence. The first was not a creator, they claimed, only a medium through which possibilities came to life. Lives that were just as eternal and beautiful as the ideas and simple _chances_ that they represented.

_The humans of new have a saying, _the creator told Kise, _that even the simplest of thoughts can change the most complex man._

Kise is born on the eve of survival. He is not a god meant for animals or spirits, or even a higher god; no, he is an embodiment of a human idea. His golden eyes first open when a human decides to live for something that is not simply just surviving to the next day. That instant moment when joy of simply _being _alive was greater than the joy of not being dead, a moment so clear and vivid in his mind. His first sounds were not words, but _music. _His mouth opened and what came out inspired stories and legends, sounds so beautiful that they moved humans and spirits alike to action.

As the human race grows, so does Kise. He watches them with adoration, as without them, he would not exist. Just like the creator, they too are his parents, from the small infant grasping at finger tips, eyes barely open to the wonders of the world to the grizzled old man who has seen what the world can do to those not prepared. His heart is large and open, so full of love and joy that it moves _him_ to dance and sing. His existence does not remain secret for long, for how could one be unaware of a being that loves so thoroughly that it consumes all?

Just as he'd hoped, the people finally see _him_ and as they start to enjoy life, the stronger he becomes. He enjoys the offerings, receives the prayers and does his best to live up to the title they'd bestowed upon him; the god of revelry and music. His name, He-who-sings-and-dances-through-eternal-darkness-and-light, echoes through the countries and people, spread by those who are both innocent and not, drunk and not. Kise doesn't care where his followers are from or what they do with their life; he only knows that he is there for when they look for him. Just as he reaches for humans, so do they reach for him.

However, it is not long before the first taste of violence taints his wine. So removed from the pantheon, so absorbed in his life revolving around humans, Kise does not hear the drums of war, however loud and aggressive they might be. His fellow gods greedily lap up the prayers and offerings the humans make as they march against each other, often spiteful of peace and ignorant of despair. How would a god know of human plight and suffering?

While the taste is not to his liking, Kise still loves the human race even if he cannot understand them, their actions absurd, laughable even. He does not consider the individual life, but the greater echo of it; he sees people, not a person.

_You too are mortal, just like those you watch, _says the creator.

He-who-sings-and-dances-through-eternal-darkness-and-light scoffs at the absurdity. A mortal god?

_Oh my friend, _they sigh wistfully, _you are bound to their fate._

Kise watches humans with increasingly less adoration and more spite. Why should he be held accountable for what foolish, stupid, _naive _humans do to each other? Why would he be dragged down with them, when their existence crumbles to nothing? Time laughs at him, whispering of the days in which humanity would be but a whisper of the past. The thought strikes him as strongly as a blacksmith strikes the iron.

_I, too, will die some day._

Kise drinks his wine, wanting to forget that his freedom is limited, that his time has an end. Spite runs through him, clenching his fists and drawing him into darkness. He scorns many of the gods, only seeking out those that have similar fates.

Even as his people die, He-who-sings-and-dances-through-eternal-darkness-and-light sits on his throne, singing a melancholic melody for as much as he wants to hate, to _despise_ them, they are still dear to him. His music and dance becomes less of revelry of a day alive and more a requiem to the end.

Thus, he sings and cries for them and himself.


End file.
